Arkansas' former emergency management director and a member of Arkansas Tech University's Hall of Distinction was appointed the university's newest trustee Wednesday, seven months after he resigned his state job amid turmoil.

William R. "Bud" Harper of Fort Smith was appointed to the university's Board of Trustees by Gov. Mike Huckabee Wednesday and will serve until Jan. 14, 2009. He replaces Jim Harwood.

Harper, hired by Huckabee in 1997 as director of the state Department of Emergency Management, resigned abruptly in July, a day after he apologized to Huckabee for e-mailing an "insensitive and inappropriate" poem about immigrants and welfare recipients to his agency's 66 employees.

The e-mailed prose, titled "Illegal Poem," included the lines "Welfare checks, they make you wealthy, Medicaid it keep you healthy." Another line accuses immigrants of bilking the system: "By and by, I got plenty of money, Thanks to you American dummy."

The e-mail drew criticism from both minority groups and Huckabee last year but was not mentioned in respective press releases issued by the governor's office and Arkansas Tech Wednesday.

Huckabee instead chose to identify Harper's accomplishments in the emergency management field and his position as a distinguished Tech graduate.

"I'm grateful Bud is willing to continue his career in public service as an Arkansas Tech trustee," Huckabee said. "Bud has a long association with the university and loves Tech as much as anyone I know. His expertise in the area of emergency management is a perfect fit since Tech offers one of the few degree program in the country in emergency management."

Huckabee further called Harper "a trusted friend."

Tech President Robert C. Brown echoed the praise for Harper.

"Mr. Harper's dedication to Arkansas Tech goes back many, many years," he said through a press release. "We are especially grateful for his interest and assistance with our unique degree program in emergency management.

"We are confident that Mr. Harper's appointment to this position is in the best interests of students, faculty and alumni," Brown added.

Also through Tech's press release, Harper said he looks forward to serving with the current board members, Dr. Brown and his staff.

"My love for Arkansas Tech goes back many years. I never dreamed that I would have this opportunity," Harper said. "Tech has become a pinnacle of pride in the state and to know that I will be able to have a place in the future planning for the university makes me very proud."

The Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith reported Harper withdrew his candidacy for the District 63 state representative position when he was appointed to the board of trustees - a candidacy he announced just last week. State Rep. Kevin Penix, R-Fort Smith, currently represents that district but has not yet announced if he will seek re-election.

Joey McCutchen, a Fort Smith attorney, announced his candidacy for the position in February, according to the newspaper. Harper was running as a Republican.

The event in July left some speculating if Harper resigned voluntarily or if Huckabee asked for him to resign. Harper initially said he found nothing wrong with the forwarded a nine-stanza, 36-line poem to each employee in the Department of Emergency Management last summer, according to The Associated Press, but resigned after Huckabee learned of the e-mail.

A message left for Jim Harris, Huckabee's director of press operations, was not returned to The Courier Tuesday afternoon.

"In spite of all best intentions and dedication, we sometimes make mistakes," Harper wrote in his resignation letter to Huckabee last year. "Some of these mistakes are so simple that it seems unreal that they can carry us into a situation I must now address."

At that time, Huckabee said he accepted Harper's apology and resignation, saying it was important for all Arkansans to feel respected and to be treated with dignity.

"The forwarded e-mail was neither humorous nor acceptable," Huckabee said at that time. He said that he regretted Harper's public service career was apparently ending at the time, but "nevertheless, the tone of the e-mail was indefensible and the depiction of racial stereotypes was not only wrong, but is patently false regarding people of any ethnic heritage."

Harper, 73, was a member of the Sebastian County Quorum Court from 1979-82 and then served from 1983-97 as the Sebastian County judge. Huckabee hired Harper in 1997 as director of the state Department of Emergency Management.

A 1957 Tech graduate, Harper was honored as one of the school's outstanding graduates with induction into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction. He also has been honored as Conservationist of the Year by the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Association.